Premier League top 10 goalkeepers of all time
The Premier League is the biggest English football league, it showcases a number of exceptional goalkeepers. The following is our list of the Premier League top 10 goalkeepers of all time.
10.) Shay Given
Country: Ireland
Years Active: 1994-2015
Given, a one-time Republic of Ireland keeper is arguably one of the best goalkeepers of all time in the Premier League. During his twelve year spell with Newcastle, he proved himself as one of the greatest shot-stoppers in the league. Other than Newcastle, he played for Manchester City and Aston Villa. His tact between the sticks helped see Newcastle qualify for Europe many times. He has made over 440 premier league appearances and was at one time voted the man of the match in 2008 when playing against Liverpool.
9.) David James
Country: England
Years Active: 1988-2014
James has one of the most number of Premier League appearances a total of 572. He also holds the record for the man with the most clean-sheets 173, in the history of the league. He made his debut into the Premier league in 1992 when he joined Liverpool. Also, he played for Aston Villa, West Ham United, Manchester City as well as Portsmouth, where he made the last league appearance in 2010. Some of the awards to his credit include the 1995 Football League Cup winner’s medal, the 2008 FA Cup Winner’s Cup and the runner-up medal in 2000. He is the oldest goalkeeper to appear in the FA Cup final.
8.) Mark Schwarzer
Country: Australia
Years Active: 1990-2015
Schwarzer is one of the best Premier League goalkeepers of all time. He joined the league in 1997 as the Middlesbrough keeper. He proved his worth by his consistent shot-stopping capabilities. He saved the Robbie Fowler penalty that saw Middlesbrough qualify for the UEFA cup. Other teams that he played for include Fulham, Chelsea and Leicester City where he is currently. Mark has made over 500 Premier League appearances and holds a clean sheet of 149.
7.) Petr Cech
Country: Czechoslovakia
Years Active: 1999-2015
Petr Cech is a brilliantly talented goalkeeper with great shot stopping abilities. He holds the record for the goalkeeper with many clean sheets under a single football club. He joined the league in 2004 at Chelsea where he stayed until 2015 when he moved to Arsenal. The Czech goalkeeper holds an impressive Best Goalkeeper award for three seasons; 2004-2005, 2006-2007, and 2007-2008 seasons of the EUFA Champions League. Besides that, his fantastic penalty saving skills helped Chelsea bag many titles.
6.) Jussi Jaaskelainen
Country: Finland
Years Active: 1992-2015
The league veteran is a tremendous shot stopper with the ability to save and win matches. In fact, he is accredited for Bolton’s long stay in the Premier League. He joined Boston Wanderers in 1997 where he played until 2012 when he left for West Ham United. After a three-season spell, he moved to Wigan Athletic where he currently plays. He is the longest serving foreign player in the Premier League and holds the Bolton’s Player of the Year Award and the Player’s Player of the Year Award for helping Bolton secure a spot in the UEFA, their second time ever in history.
5.) Edwin van der Sar
Country: Netherlands
Years Active: 1990-2011
From the time he joined Fulham in 2001, the Dutchman put fantastic performances proving his reputation as the best keeper. A sentiment echoed by Sir Alex Fergusson, one of the best football managers of all time, when Van der Sar moved to Old Trafford in 2005. During his spell as Manchester United, Van der Sar set a clean record when he survived 1,311 minutes without conceding a single goal. He has helped the Red Devils lift four titles and the 2008 Champions League. On 28 May 2011, Van der Sar retired from active football.
4.) Antony Nigel Martyn
Country: England
Years Active: 1987-2006
The two-time most expensive goalie in England boast of a lustrous career that saw him win 23 England caps. His Premier League career started at Crystal Palace in 1989. From there he moved to Leeds United and eventually Everton, until 8th June 2006 when he retired due to an ankle injury. The phenomenon thing about Nigel is that each team that he turned out, for performed excellently. For instance, he helped Leeds reach their highest ever, semi-finals of the 2000 Champions League, and Everton their highest ever Premier League finish.
3.) Brad Friedel
Country: United States
Years Active: 1994-2015
After several unsuccessful attempts to join the Premier League, the American-born footballer managed to join Liverpool in 1997. From there he moved to Blackburn Rovers, then to Aston Villa and eventually to his current team Tottenham Hotspur. In just his first season in Blackburn, he helped the team return to the Premier League. Brad Friedel is one of the most consistent players in the League. For eight years, between the years 2004 and 2012 he did not miss a single game. Some of the titles to his name include the Premier League record for most consecutive appearances and the 2003 Premier League Player of the Year.
2.) David Seaman
Country: England
Years Active: 1981-2004
The England number one and Arsenal legend deserves a top spot in the Premier League top 10 goalkeepers of all time list. He executed saves that few goalkeepers could. His exceptional skills and passion helped the Gunners win many honors. These include three Premier League titles, four FA Cups, the 1994 UEFA Cup Winners Cup, and the 1993 League Cup. He first joined the Premier League by playing for Leeds United in 1981. He played for Peterborough United, Birmingham City, Queens Park Rangers, Arsenal and Manchester City.
1.) Peter Schmeichel
Country: Denmark
Years Active: 1981-2003
With enviable goalkeeping skills and an impressive career to match his intimidating size and physique, Peter Schmeichel was an exceptional goalkeeper. Unusually for a goalkeeper, Schmeichel scored 11 goals during his career, including one for the national team.
During his eight year spell as Old Trafford, he helped Manchester United bag five Premier League Titles, four FA Charity Shield titles, the famous Treble, three FA Cup titles, the UEFA Super Cup, and the 1998-1999 UEFA Champions League.
Besides, he was voted the World’s Best Goalkeeper in 1992 and 1993. He joined Manchester United in 1991 until 1999 before leaving for Sporting Lisbon. In 2001, he later returned to the Premier League by playing for Aston Villa and then Manchester City, before retiring in 2003